Appeasing the gods: Raila Odinga's 'shadow and spirit' released from Oparanya's home

Raila, who died in October 2025, had a special bedroom in Oparanya’s home where he regularly spent nights whenever he visited Western Kenya. [Benard Lusigi, Standard]

In many African communities, death does not necessarily sever the relationship between the living and those who have departed.

Among the Luhya and Luo communities, the deceased may continue to occupy a spiritual place within the family long after burial, with traditional rites performed to mark the final transition and allow the living to move on.

It is against this cultural background that an unusual ceremony was recently held at the home of former Kakamega governor and Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives Wycliffe Oparanya in Mambole village, Butere Constituency, Kakamega County.

The ceremony centred on the passing of ODM party leader and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, whose death left behind not only a political legacy but also longstanding personal and cultural ties with Oparanya.

Raila, who died in October 2025, had a special bedroom in Oparanya’s home where he regularly spent nights whenever he visited Western Kenya.

Nearly a year after his death, members of his family and elders from the Kawour sub-clan travelled to Oparanya’s home to perform a traditional rite intended to release the deceased’s spiritual presence from the room and compound.

Raila, who died in October 2025, had a special bedroom in Oparanya’s home where he regularly spent nights whenever he visited Western Kenya. [Benard Lusigi, Standard]

Among the delegation were Raila Odinga Junior, who represented his late father, and Jaoko Oburu, son of ODM leader Oburu Oginga. They were accompanied by elders from the Jokawour Council of Elders who met elders from the Luhya side.

For the Luhya, the significant rite is known as ‘Shinini’, while among the Luo it is referred to as ‘Or Kao Tipo’.

The ritual is considered as a path to releasing the spirit, shadow or presence of a deceased person and bringing to closure the relationship between the dead and physical space they occupied while alive.

According to Luhya Council of Elders chief adviser David Khalukhana, the ceremony should not be treated lightly.

“It is very crucial because if you ignore the ceremony, those occupying the house are bound to face dire consequences, such as being beaten up by the spirit of the dead or encountering it in dreams because it is unhappy for not being given the respect it deserves by performing the ritual,” Khalukhana explained.

The rite, however, is not open to everyone. Elders said it must be conducted by close blood relatives of the deceased. In Raila’s case, the Odinga family was represented by members of the Kawour sub-clan, the lineage from which the former Prime Minister hailed.

John Odinga, the secretary to the Jokawour Council of Elders, said the father traditionally leads such a ceremony, with other close blood relatives taking part. The delegation arrived carrying two animals: a ram and a young bull each carrying a distinct cultural meaning.

“The ram symbolises cleansing and closure. Once it is given, it is slaughtered and eaten,” John explained.

The young bull, however, represented something different.

“It is given while still young so that it can grow in the home,” he said, explaining that the animal symbolised the continuation and growth of the relationship between the two families beyond Raila’s death.

The ceremony was conducted according to strict traditional rules.

The elders insisted on holding their discussions under a tree rather than inside the tent prepared by Oparanya.

John said the tree and its shade were important to the rite because of the belief that the spirit of the departed would recognise and listen to the elders when the ceremony was conducted in a traditional setting.

“To ensure the success of the ceremony, we do it under a tree. Elders must conduct their discussion under a shade and we move when the sun moves with the shade,” he said.

The rite was also largely a men’s affair.

Elderly women present were not allowed to participate in the discussions but were expected to listen. Men and women also had separate spaces for eating, while the traditional meal was required to be taken inside the house.

Oparanya had prepared a tent for the gathering, but the elders declined to use it and instead sat beneath a tree before moving into the house for the meal.

For the elders, the details were not mere formalities. They were an essential part of ensuring that the ceremony was conducted in accordance with the traditions handed down through generations.

At the heart of the rite was the bedroom where Raila had regularly slept.

The elders blessed the room and performed the ceremony intended to release his spiritual presence, effectively allowing the living to reclaim the space without violating traditional expectations surrounding the dead.

Oparanya said the rite had permitted him to reopen the room for use by members of the Odinga family.

“We had to do some rite which the elders have now advised and given me the okay to give the room to Oburu Oginga, who is the party leader, so that he can use it the way his late brother used to do. Everything is in place now,” Oparanya said.

The ceremony therefore marked more than an ending. It allowed a physical space associated with Raila to return to ordinary use while preserving the memory and respect attached to him.

Raila’s memory would remain, but the room he had occupied would no longer remain frozen in time.

For the Odinga family, the ceremony was also an opportunity to reaffirm a relationship that had extended beyond politics.

John said the delegation had come to appreciate and protect the longstanding bond between Raila and Oparanya.

“As a whole, we came here to appreciate the relationship between Cabinet Secretary Oparanya and our late comrade Raila Odinga. We cannot take that relationship for granted,” he said.

He said the friendship between the two leaders had endured for many years and should not end with Raila’s death.

“Their friendship has come from a long way and we came to ascertain that the relationship should continue. We also want this relationship to continue beyond ourselves and beyond Raila,” John said.

The elders urged Oparanya to work closely with Oburu Oginga, saying his role would be important in maintaining the political and social relationship between the two families.

“We want our Cabinet Secretary to be close to our party leader so that he can make his work easier. We want ODM to continue growing in every part of the country,” John said.

They also invited Oparanya to Bondo, where they said he would be installed as an elder in accordance with Luo traditions.

For Raila Junior, the ceremony was both a cultural obligation and continuation of the relationship between the two families.

He attended with the blessings of his mother, Ida Odinga, and said the visit formed part of the activities marking the month dedicated by ODM to honouring his late father.

“Bwana Oparanya, thank you very much for hosting us today. This is the second day of Baba Month,” Junior said.

Photos by Benard Lusigi.